In an attempt to win over the Japanese market just before Christmas, Microsoft released a really sweet Blue Dragon bundle in Japan. Now Microsoft are trying once more to win over the Japanese gamers with an Xbox 360 Trusty Bell bundle.

IGN is reporting that the RPG game bundle officially entitled Xbox 360 Core System Trusty Bell Chopan no Yume Premium Pack will come with the Xbox 360 Core console, a wired controller, AV cables, 1 month free Xbox Live card as well as a copy of the game Trusty Bell itself. As an extra gift, Microsoft are also throwing in a DVD soundtrack which is also available to those who preorder the game.

The Blue Dragon bundle was absolutely awesome, costing the equivalent of only $250. It included the same items as the Trusty Bell bundle but as well as that, included a faceplate and some figurines with the only difference being that Blue Dragon was the game instead. If Microsoft decide to sell the Trusty Bell bundle at such a low price, I am sure that many gamers in Japan will simply have to consider buying this.

Trusty Bell: Chopinâ€™s Dream, or Eternal Sonata as it will be known in the rest of the world, is due to be released on June 14th in Japan. However, there is unfortunately currently no release date or even rough time frame of when anyone else will be able to play this upcoming role-playing game. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as one is announced.

This is what IGN said in their preview of Eternal Sonata: “The game is being translated into English even while work is still being done in Japan to ensure that the game comes out worldwide early this summer.”

They are lazy when it comes to updating game profiles. They mentioned a June release for The Darkness in one of their previews and got it right. That’s the reason why I suspected the same for Eternal Sonata.

It sounds rather circe to me, and since I spotted numerous second-hand Blue Dragon-bundles (and regular 360’s) in shops all over the country last month, I don’t think Microsoft will be putting a major dent into Sony and Nintendo’s popularity just yet.
Not with the stunning lineup of only two titles that appeal to the Japanese, that is.